Process and machine for producing knitted fabrics



Aug. 15, 1933. A P, W. Bmg-row ET ,zum ,22,l19

PRocEss AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed prl ll, 1931 4- Sheet-Sheet 1 .W/T/VEJS.' y

Aug. 15, 1933. K P. w. BRIS-row E-r AL 1,922,119

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed April l1, 1931 4 SheetS-Sheet 2 www! ug- 15, 1933. i. w. BRISTOW Er AL 1,922,119

' PROCESS `AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed April l1, 19314 4 ShetS-Sheet 5 'Aug- ,15, 1933-' P. W. BRIS-row AL '1,922,119

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed pril `11. 1951 4 sheets-sheet 4 in plated relationship thereto.

Patented ug.. 15, 1933 PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR. PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Paul W., Bristow, Wilmington, and Harold E.

Houseman, Edge Moor, Del., assignors to Standard-Trump Bros. Machine Company, Wilmington, Del., a Corporation of Delaware Application April 11, 1931.

33 Claims.

This invention relates to a knitted fabric and a method and machine for making the same, the fabric being of the type having designs formed by wrap or embroidery yarns.

The well known process of producing designs by the use of a Wrap yarn has heretofore generally included wrapping about needles above the latches thereof yarns differing in appearance from the main yarn or yarns so that the wrapped yarns are knit into the loops with the main yarn and appear on the face of the fabric When the pattern formed by the wrap yarns is to be interrupted, the Wrap yarn is merely not Wrapped about the needle. There then result floats of greater or4 less length between successive zones of plating which are undesirable, particularly in hosiery, and, if the design is elaborate, cannot be readily cut out.

These objectionable floats are avoided by the use of the process disclosed in an application of Stanley R. Shelmire, Serial Number 497,977,

filed November 25, 1930.

Wrapping each Wrap yarn about a needle (either' Briefly, it involves the same one or adjacent ones) in the formation of every course, the Wrapping being carried out so that at the time of drawing the stitch the wrap yarn is either above or below the latch, whereby,'in the former case it appears on the face of the fabric, or in the latter case it is linked into the loops, thus avoiding floats, but is substantially invisible from the face of the fabric.

Thefmachine shown in the Shelmire application referred to above has a rotary needle cylinder, which, of course, requires that the supplies of wrap yarns rotate. Obviously, if a large number of wrap yarns are used, this Iarrangement would require a large yarn support capable of rotating at the speed of the needle cylinder. It

follows that the rotary cylinder machine is not consequently yarn fingers which are stationary except for limited shogging movements which, however, do not require movable wrap yarn supplies. In the machine shown in this application,` the wrap yarn.V is floated except where plating occurs.

Serial No. 529,518

(Cl. (S6-435) One object of the invention may be briefly stated to involve the provision of mechanism and a method for effecting the selective production of visible and invisible wrapping by amachine of the stationary needle cylinder type.

It is preferred, however, to produce the visible and invisible wrapping in a different fashion, namely by manipulating wrapping devices at two points rather than one, manipulation at one point resulting in invisible incorporation of wrap yarns into the fabric, and manipulation at the other point, plating. Two variations of `such manipulation may occur. In one, in the formation of any course, a wrapping device which is manipulated at the first point is not manipulated at the second while a device which is manipulated at the second point is not manipulated at the first; In this case the results are similar to those disclosed in the rst mentioned Shelmire application. In the second variation, all of the wrapping devices are manipulated at the rst point to result in invisible Wrapping. Then certain of the same wrapping devices are manipulated at the second point5 to produce plating. In the 80 resulting fabric, `which constitutes a further object of the invention, the visible and invisible wrapping are in a sense superimposed whereby a greater weight of wrap yarn is incorporated into the fabric where plating occurs and a heavy, embossed appearance results. This last procedure is: further advantageous since proper plating is insured by the tightness of engagement of the Wrap yarn with the needle.

Further objects of the invention relate to the phases of the novel method and machine Whereby this improved fabric is produced.

Other objects of the invention relating particularly to details will be apparent from the 95 following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the parts of the machine adjacent the top of the needle cylinder;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing particularly the wrap finger controlling mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a. developed inside view of the needle cams;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to part of Fig. 2 showing a modified mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the face of a fabric produced by the mechanism of Figs.

1 t0 3; 'and I :usA

f the formation of the heel and toe.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a modified fabric produced by the mechanism of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3 there is illustrated a modification of the machine of the Shelmire application, Serial Number 469,056, much as of this machine being illustrated as is necessary to an understanding of the invention. For details reference may be made to this Shelmire application and the applications of Harold E. Houseman, Ser. Nos. 422,818 and 427,709, filed, respectively, January 23, 1930 and February 12, 1930, the latter showing suitable shogging means for the wrap lingers, which may be used if relatively narrow panels of wrap designs are to be produced as compared with Wrapping on substantially` all of the needles.

There is illustrated at 2 a stationary needle cylinder of usual construction provided -with vertical slots in which latch needles 4 are reciprocated in the conventional knitting wave by suitable rotating cams, other rotating cams serving to operate the cooperating sinkers slidably mounted in the stationary sinker dial 6. A rotating latch ring 10 of the construction illustrated in Shelmire application, Serial Number 469,056, serves to guide main yarn or yarns to the needles, being carried, as are the other rotating parts, by the rotatably and oscillatably mounted cam ring 8 driven in the usual manner to rotate during the formation of the leg and foot of the hosiery and to oscillate during The main yarn Y is guided through a suitable opening 12 in the latch ring.

Supported by the spindle 16 which is slidably mounted in the frame and which may also be rotatably mounted for shogging purposes is the Wrap finger cylinder 18, in slots in which are located the oscillatable wrap fingers 20 provided with suitable thread eyes at their lower ends for thereception of Wrap yarns indicated at W. These yarn fingers are provided with fulcrum portions resting in the trough of an annular ring 22, the fingers being held in posi-v tion by a retaining spring band 24. To procure very elaborate designs there may be as many threaded fingers 20 .as there are needles. In fact, this is the preferred construction. However, if clock designs or bandwrapping is to be performed there may be a smaller number of fingers than needles. In the former ca'se shogging is not feasible since at all times there would be fingers passing between adjacent needles. On the other hand if certain of the fingers are absent shogging may take place during the periods when no fingers are passing through the needle circle.

Each of the Wrap fingers 20 is provided with a series of butts 26 used for patterning purposes, and in the present instance with single butts 27 at their uppermost ends for purposes hereafter described. Selected butts 26 may be broken out according to the usual practice for the production of designs.

Adapted to cooperate with the butts 26 ar cams 28 in the form of a series of levers, corresponding in number to the number of butts, p1voted on a pin 30 carried by a lever 32 which is pivoted at 36 to a support carried by the rotating cam ring 8. Each of the cams 28 is provided with a face 38 adapted to engage the butts to move the lower ends of the fingers outwardly between the needles, these lower ends being twisted out of radial planes so as to carry the only soI be moved by the spring until its extension 46 engages the stop pin 47 carried by the lever 32. This stop pin 47 may of course be omitted and the lugl permitted to drop against the trick wheel; however in such cases undue wear on the wheel occurs and it is preferable to stop the lugs short of engagement with the Wheel by the means just described. The lever 32 is provided with an adjustable follower screw 48 arranged to engage either a fiat 50 or a slope 52 formed on the end of a lever 54 carried by a shaft 56 mounted in the frame and carrying at its lower end an arm 58 having an engaging face 59 for a purpose later described. The arm 58 also carries a pin 60 extending downwardly within a slot 62 in a lever 64 pivoted at 66 and having an engaging corner 65.

The trick wheel 44 is pivoted on a stud 67 'carried by a bracket secured to cam ring 8 and is provided with ratchet teeth 68 cooperating with a pivoted pawl '70 spring-pressed into engagement with the teeth and carried by an eoscillatable bracket also pivoted on stud 67 and having a slot within which engages a pin 73 carried by the arm 74 secured to the shaft 76, which also carries the follower 78 having the shape illustrated, the follower 78 being at a level jut above that of the lever 58. A spring 80 reacting between the follower 78 and bracket 72 normally moves the pawl to a retracted position.

Adapted to cooperate with the levers 58 and 64 and with follower 78 is a 'disc 82 carried by a` vertically movable rod slidable in a sleeve carried by a stationary part of the machine frame. The movements of this rod in a vertical direction are controlled by a pattern chain in the manner illustrated in the Shelmire application, Serial Number 469,056. As pointed out in this case, such operation results in stepping -of the trick Wheel or movement of the wrap fingers into o out of operative positions. Secured to the upper en'd of shaft 56 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is an arm 84 provided with a cam surface 86' arranged to engage an adjustable'follower screw carried by one arm 88 of a lever 90 which on the side of its pivot op. Vposite the arm 88 is provided with a cam surface 92. This cam surface 92 is arranged to engage the butts 27 of the Wrap fingers in the same manner as the butts 26 are engaged by the cam surfaces 38 of levers 28. While the cam surfaces 92 and 38 act to move the wrap fingers so that their lower threaded ends are carried outwardly of the needle circle return cams 94 and 96 are provided to act upon the wrap iingers below their fulcrums to return them, this return movement carrying the yarns on the opposite sides of the needles with which the fingers cooperate to effect a complete wrapping operation.

Referring now to Fig. 3 in which there is illustrated a. developed vinside view of the needle cams, it will be noted that the usual upper cam 100 is provided at the feed point, 'on the sides of this there being provided the stitch cams 102 and 104. Since the needle cams rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in plan, the relative movements of the needles through the stitch cams will be along the path illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in the direction of the arrow. While cams 100, 102 and 104 are oi substantially conventional form, there are provided two additional cams 106 and 108 engaged by the butts of the needles prior to passing through the usual cams. By cam 106 the needles are raised being later lowered by the cam lob to a position such that the butts will then ride up over cam 104 and be later depressed by cams 100 and loZ to take yarn and form stitches in the usualfashion. By the letters A, B,A C and D in Fig. 3 there are designated various zones of, operation corresponding to actuation of the wrap fingers. The zone d represents the point where wrapping initially taires place due to the action of cani surface 92 of lever all and return cam' ad. llt this point the wrap yarns are wrapped above the latch of corresponding needles in the usual fashion. After this taires place the needles are moved upwardly by cam lod through the rlione indicated at B. At this time by reason of the upward movement of the needles the loops ol wrap yarn are caused to occupy a position below the latch or the needles. Following this operation the needles are again depressed through zone C at which time the loops of wrap yarn will rnove relatively to the needles lup behind the latches without however closing the latches. Thereafter in Zone D wrapping taires place due tothe action of cams gli and 9d, se lective wrapping of needles taking place either above the latch or not at all. Thereafter the needles take the main yarn and are drawn down by the stitch cam lim to form stitches.

It will now be evident that if the wrap` finger corresponding to any needle has been actuated in both zones A and D a double loop of wrap yarn will he located about the needle, the hrst loop being below the latch and the second loop being above the latch. When therefore the stitch is formed the wrap yarn will appear in plated relationship to the main yarn.

n the other hand if the wrap finger was actuated only in the zone A and not in the zone -D a single loop only of the wrap yarn would be located about the needlebelow the latch. ln this case the resulting stitch would incorporate the wrap yarn in the manner illustrated in Shel-` rnire application 497,977, that is, without this .wrap yarn appearing to any substantial degree from the face of the fabric. In the preferable operation of the machine all of the wrap fingers are provided with butts 27 and accordingly wrapping always takes place in the zone A. Floats are thereby avoided. The type of fabric formed by this operation will be hereafter referred to in greater detail.

A modified type of machine is illustrated in Fig. 4, which ligure, however, may be read with Fig.`3 inasmuch as the cam'ax'rangement is the same as in the preceding modification. In the arrangement of Fig. 4 there is no single linger such as 90 provided.. Instead the stack of iingers illustrated at 28 in Fig. 1 is broken up into two sets having equal numbers of fingers, the upper set illustrated at 110 comprising fingers extendlngaround to the position occupied by the linger 90 of the first modification, these lingers 110 being provided with cam faces 112 arranged to coact with upper butts of `wrap ngers. The

lower set of fingers illustrated at 114 are the same as lingers 28 being provided with cam faces 11o arranged to cooperate with the lower butts on the wrap fingers. Return cams lli; and 120 similar to cams 96 and 94 are provided.

With this last arrangement it is necessary, in order to totally avoid oats, to set up inversely corresponding patterns on the trici: wheel so that if a finger wraps its corresponding needle under the action of earn i12 it will not be acted upon by a cam lid and vice versa. In other words, while by the use of proper butts on the trick nger heating is always prevented, nevertheless during any rotation any needle is wrapped but once, the location of the wrap loop at the time of stitch drawing being either above or below lthe latch. ln this way 'the double loops produced by the first niodication are avoided. However, it is found that such double loops are generally to be preferred so that ac cordingly the modification oi Figs. l, 2 and 3 appears to be best. @ne of the advantages from an operating standpoint consists in the fact that the double wrapping of yarn about a needle causes the wrap yarn to invariably appear on the lace in properly plated relationship apparently because of the tight 'engagement thereol with the needle by reason of the initial wrap below the latch.

In the above operations it has been assumed that the wrapping has taken place so that floats are totally avoided. It will be obvious however that floating may occur, if desired, particularly `Fig. 4 the set-.up of the trick wheel may provide selective floating.

.The products of the two modications are illustrated respectively in Figs. and 6. In Fig. 5 the loop L1 has been producedby the wrapping of a needle in zone A only, followed by the formation of the stitch after the needle takes thefbody yarn Y. In this case the wrap yarn embraces the base of the loop L1 as indicated at W1. When this occurs the wrap yarn is substantially invisible from the face of the fabric. In, the formation of the next loop L2 the wrap yarn was not only wrapped about the needle in the zone .A but also in zone D. The result of wrapping in zone A followed by movement of the needle so that the latch clears the loop is a production of the loop W2 about the basev of the loop L2. The wrapping in zone D results in platingas illustrated at P2. The next two loops in the Wale illustrated are formed inthe same manner as loop L2. However in the formation of loop Le wrapping in zonen only has again taken place and accordingly loop Le is unplated, the wrap yarn being looped about its base. It will thus be obvious that the wrap yarn may be made to selectively appear or be hidden, as desired, without the presence of oats. f I D In Fig. 8 there is illustrated the product of the modification of Fig. 4. In this case double wrapping of wrap yarn is not presumed to take Mill place although, of course, by a proper set-up M on the trick Wheel double Wrapping maybe effected. In the loop L11 of Fig. 6 the wrap yarn appears in plated relationship as illusl trated at P11. On the other hand in loop L14 the wrap yarn does not appear in plated relationship being wrapped about the base of the loop as indicated at W14.

It will be obvious from the above that by the use of the modification of Fig. 4 which, hown ever, is mechanically more elaborate than the modification of Figs. 1 and 2, a Wale of the fabric may comprise plated loops produced by a single wrapping, plated loops produced by double Wrapping, unplated loops having the wrap yarn associated therewith in invisible fashion, or even loops behind which the Wrap yarn floats all depending on the proper set-up of the trick wheel; that is, to produce a plated single wrapped loop, a cam 114 must be .active to cause a finger'to wrap a needle while no cam 112 must previously engage that finger in the course considered; to produce double wrapping, once invisibly and once visibly, a finger must be rocked by both a cam 112 and a cam 116; to produce single invisible wrapping, only a cam 112 must rock a finger; and to avoid any wrapping, and hence the production of iloats, all of cams 112 and 116 must fail to rock a finger, all of these results being accomplished by a proper arrangement of butts on .the wrap fingers and tricks on the trick wheel. The Wale particularly illustrated in Fig. 6 is, of course, similar to that produced by the machine of Shelmire application, Serial Number 497,977. The advantages of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 besides the insurance of plating, as noted above, are the density of wrap yarn where it is desired that the wrap yarn shall appear on the face of the fabric, combined with a sometimes desirable embossed appearance when the wrap yarn is heavy, this appearance resulting from the large amount of wrap yarn incorported into the loops.

As mentioned previously shogging with the machine illustrated cannot be readily accomplished when all of the needles are being wrapped. However, if certain needles only are being wrapped the wrap fingers may be shogged relatively to the needles when no wrap fingers are passing through the needle. circle. If shogging is used in this fashion it will be obvious that elaborate designs involving double or single wrapping may be produced.

The illustrations in Figs. 5 and 6'are diagrammatic since the specific positions occupied by the yarns depends to a great extent upon relative tensions, location on the needle of the wrap yarns, etc. This is brought out in Shelmire ap'- plication, Serial Number 497,977, in which the radical effect of heavy tension on the wrap yarn is shown. Figs. 5 and 6 are accordingly meant only to illustrate the relative crossings and interlockings of the yarns. It is therefore intended to cover variations produced by different tensioning, or the like, inthe following claims even though for clarity such claims are directed to the arrangement particularly illustrated.

What` I claim anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machinelhaving a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of` a course, the steps of effecting the looping of a wrap yarn both about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and above a loop of a previously formed course held on said shank below the latch, and also above the latch, of feeding a main yarn to the needle above the latch, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns below the latch.

2. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movh able latch needles including, in the formation of a course, the steps of effecting the looping of a wrap yarn both about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and above a loop of a previously formed course held on said shank below the latch, and also above the latch, of feeding a main yarn to the needle above the latch, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns originally below the latch, the main'and wrap yarns being so related in the hook of the needle that the latter appears in plating relationship to the former in the drawn loop.

3. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of one course, the steps of effecting the looping of a wrap yarn both about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and above a loop of a previously formed course held on said shank below the latch, and also above the latch, of feeding a main yarn to the needle above the latch, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns originally below the latch; and in the formation of another course, the steps of effecting the looping of the wrap yarn about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and above a loop of a previously formed course held on said shank below the latch, of feeding the main yarn to the needle above the latch, and of moving the needle to draw a loop of the main yarn through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from lthe rst step in the formation of this course.

4. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of one course, vthe steps of effecting the looping of a wrap yarn both about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and above a loop of a previously formed course held on said shank below the latch, and also above vthe latch, of feeding, a main yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of mainv and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns originally below the latch; the main and wrap yarns being so related in the hook of the needle that the latter appears in plating relationship to the vformer in the drawn loop; and in the formation of another course, the steps of' effecting the looping of the wrap yarn about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and above a loop of a previously formed course held on said shank below the latch, of feeding the main yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a loop of the main yarn through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from the first step in the formation of this course.

5. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of a course, the steps of looping a wrap yarn about a needle above the latch thereof, of moving the needle' upwardly to cause the latch to clear the loop of wrap yarn so that it lies about the shank of the needle above a loop of a previously formed course, of again looping the wrap yarn about the needle above the latch thereof, of feeding a main. yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of `main and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from the upward movement of the needle.

fi. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of a course, the 'steps of looping a wrap yarn about a needle above the latch thereof, of moving the needle upwardly to cause the latch to clear the loop of wrap yarn so that it lies about the shank of the needle above a loop of a previously formed course, of again looping the wrap yarn about the needle above the latch thereof, of feeding amain yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from the upward movement of the needle,.the'main and wrap yarns being so related in the hook of the needle that the latter appears in plating relationship to the former in the drawn loop.

7. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needlesincluding, in the formation of onecourse, the steps of looping a wrap yarn about a needle above the latch thereof, of moving the needle upwardly to cause the latch to-clear the loop of wrap yarn so that it lies about the shank of the needle above a loop of a previously formed course, of again looping the wrap yarn about the needle above the latch thereof, of feeding a main yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop of Wrap and rnainv yarns resulting from the upward movement of the needle;' and in the formation of another course, the steps of looping the wrap yarn about a needle above the latch thereof, of moving the needle upwardly to cause the latch to clear the loop of wrap yarn so thatiit lies about the shank of the needle above a loop'of a previously formed course, of feeding the main` yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle tol draw a loop of main yarn through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from the upward movement of the needle.

il. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently Inovable latch needles including,y in the formation of one course, the steps .of looping a wrap yarn about a needle above the latch thereof, of mov- :lng the needle upwardly to cause the latch to clear the loop of wrap yarn so that it lies about the shank. of the needle above a loop of a previously formed course, of again looping the wrap yarn about the needle above the latch thereof, of feeding a main-yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a double loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from the upward movement of the needle, the main and wrap yarns being so related in the hook of the needle that the latter appears in plating relationship to the former in the drawn loop; and in the formation of another course, the steps of looping the wrap yarn about a needle above the latch thereof, of moving the needle upwardly to cause the latch to clear the loop of wrap yarn so that it lies about the shank of the needle above a -loop of a previously formed course, of feeding the main yarn to the needle above the latch thereof, and of moving the needle to draw a loop of main. yarn through the double loop of wrap and main yarns resulting from the upward movement of the needle.

9. The process of making a knitted fabric including in the formation of a course, looping a wrap yarn twice about a needle, one loop below and the other above the latch, subsequently feeding a main yarn to the needle, and draw ing a loop including' both the main and wrap yarns.

l0. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a circular series of .independeently movable latch needles, wrap ngers, deu vices having rotary movement relative to the needles to move them for the production of stitches, and angularly spaced elements also havI ing rotary movement relative to the needles and capable of effecting the wrapping of wrap yarns about needles above the latches thereof as the needles and elements come into opposition, in

cluding raising the needles between the spaced 10@ elements so that the latches thereof may clear any wrap yarns located 'thereabove, feeding main yarn to the needles through means trailing the spaced elements in the relative movement of the needles and devices, and manipulating nee- 105i dles to draw loops including the .main yarn.

l1. rlhe process of making a lrnitted fabric on a machine having a circular series of independ ently movable latch needles, wrap nngers, de-I vices having rotary movement relative to the iid needles to move them for the production. of

lill

needles and devices, and manipulating needles 12H to draw loops including the main yarn.

l2. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a circular series of independently movable latch needles, wrap ngers, de vices having rotary movement relative to the needles to move them for the production `of stitches, and angularly spaced elements also having rotary movement relative to the needles and capable of effecting the Wrapping of wrap yarns about needles above the latches thereof as the needles and elements come into opposition, in-

cluding raising the needles between the spaced elements so that the latches thereof may clear any wrap yarns located thereabove, selectively manipulating said elements to effect selective wrapping of needles thereat, feeding main yarn M0 to the needles through means trailing the spaced elements in the relative movement of the needles and devices, and manipulating needles to draw loops including the main yarn.

13. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a circular series of independently movable latch needles, devices having rotary movement relative to the needles to move them for the production of stitches, and ari--` gularly spaced elements also having rotary move-,H

ment relative tothe needles and capable of effecting the wrapping of wrap yarns about needles above the latches thereof as the needles and elements come into opposition, including continuously effecting wrapping of needles by the leading element, raising the needles between the spaced elements so that the latches thereof may clear any wrap yarns located thereabove, selectively manipulating the trailing element to ef fect selective wrapping of needles thereat, feeding main yarn to the needles through means trailing the spaced elements in the relative movement of the needles and devices, and. manipulating needles to draw loops including the main yarn. 1

` le. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including,` in the formation of one course, the steps of effecting the looping of a wrap yarn about a needle first below the nee-v dle latch and then above the needle latch prior to engagement with the main yarn.

15. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of one course, the steps of effecting the looping of a wrap yarn about a needle first below the needle latch and then above the needle latch prior to engagement with the main yarn, and casting over the needle hook the first mentioned loop of wrap yarn along with the loop or loops in the previously knit course.

16. The process of making a knittedA fabric on a machine having a series of independentlymovable latch needles including, in the formation of a course, the steps of effecting the Vlooping of wrap yarns about all of the needles below their latches and then selectively above the latches of certain needles prior to engagement with the main yarn.

17. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles and elements moving relatively to the needles to actuate them including, in the formation of a course, the steps of effecting the looping of wrap yarns selectively below the latches of certain needles at the location of certain elements and selectively looping the wrap yarns above latches of other needles at the location of other elements prior to engagement `of any of the needles with the main yarn, all

of the needles moving in the same wave during knitting as aforesaid.

18. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles andv devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means whereby a wrap yarn .is looped about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and also above the latch thereof, means for feeding a main yarn to the needle, and means for moving the needle to draw a loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop formed by the wrap yarn and a previous loop located about the shank of the needle.

19.. A knitting machineincluding a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means whereby a wrap yarn is looped selectively either only about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof, or both about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and also `above the latch thereof, means for feeding a main yarn to the needle, and means for moving the needle to' draw a loop of main and wrap yarns through the double loop formed by the wrap yarn and a previous loop located about the shank of the needle.

20. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means whereby a wrap yarn is looped selectively either only about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof, only above the latch thereof, or both about the shank of a needle below the latch thereof and also within the hook of the needle, means for feeding a main yarn to the needle, and means for moving the needle to draw a loop of main yarn only or main and wrap vyarns through a previously formed loop.

21. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means operable to loop wrap yarns about needles above the latches thereof, means for causing relative movements between the loops of wrap yarns Aand. needles whereby the loops rest below the latches thereof, means operable to loop the wrap yarns about the needles following operation of the last named means, means for feeding a main yarn to the needles, and means for moving the needle to draw stitches.

22. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means continuously operable to loop wrap yarns about needles above the latches thereof, means for causing relative movements between the 'loops of wrap yarns and needles whereby the loops rest below the latches thereof, means operable to loop the wrap yarns about the needles following operation of the last named means, means for feeding-a main yarn to the needles, and means for moving the needle to draw stitches.

23. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means selectively operable to loop wrap yarns about needles above the latches thereof, means for causing relative movements between the loops of wrap yarns and needles whereby the loops rest belowthe latches thereof, means operable to loop the wrap yarns about the needles following operation of the last named means, means for feeding a main yarn to the needles, and means ,for moving the needle to drawstitches.

24. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means operable to loop wrapl yarns about needles within the hooks thereof, means for causing relative movements between the loops of wrap yarns and needles whereby the loops rest below the latches thereof, means selectively operable to loop the Wrap yarns about the needles following operation of the last named means, means for feeding a main yarn to the needles. and means for moving the needles to draw stitches.

25. Aknitting machine including a series of lindependently movable latch needles and devices cooperating `therewlth to form stitches, said devices including means continuously operable to loop wrap yarns about needles within the hooks thereof, means for causing relative` movements between the loops of wrap yarns and needles whereby the loops rest below the negar ie ,il

latches thereof, means selectively operable to loop the Wrap yarns about the needles following operation of the last named means, means for feeding a main yarn to the needles, and means for moving the needles to draw stitches.

26. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means selectively operaable to loop wrap yarns about needles within the hooks thereof, means for causing relative movements between the loops of Wrap yarns and needles whereby the loops rest below the latches thereof, means selectively operable to loop the wrap yarns about the needles following operation of the last named means, means for feeding a main yarn to the needles, and means for moving the needles to draw stitches.

27. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles and elements moving relatively to the needles to actuate them including, in the formation of a course, the steps of effecting the looping of wrap yarns below the latches of needles at the location of certain elements, and selectively looping wrap yarns above the latches of certain needles at the location of other elements prior to engagement of any of the needles with the main yarn, all of the needles moving in the same wave during knitting as aforesaid.

28. The process of making a knitted fabric on a machine having a series of independently movable latch needles including, in the formation of a course the steps of laying wrap yarns above the latches of needles at two wrap 4points -in advance of the engagement of a main yarn by said needles, and effecting the elevation of the needles after the first wrap point and before the second wrap point to clear their latches of any loops of wrap yarns they may carry.

29. A knitting machine including a series of independently movable latch needles and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, said devices including means for selectively laying wrap yarns above the latches of needles at two spaced wrap points prior to the engagement of a main yarn by said needles, and needle elevating means between the two wrap points for 'causing the needle latches to clear loops of 31. The process of making a knitted fabric including, in the formation of a course, looping a wrap yarn twice about a needle, subsequently feeding a main yarn to the needle, and drawing a loop including the main yarn, said wrapping being so performed that atleast one of the wrap loops is cast off during the drawing of said loop including the main yarn.

32. The` process of making a knitted fabric including, in the formation of a course, looping a wrap yarn twice about a latch needle so that at least one of the loops lies above the latch, subsequently feeding a main yarn to the needle, and drawing a loop including the main yarn and at least oneloop of wrap yarn.

33. The process of making a knitted fabric including, in the formation of a course, looping a wrap yarn twice about a latch needle so that at least one of the loops lies below the latch, subsequently feeding a main yarn to the needle, and drawing a loop including the main yarn, said wrapping being so performed that the loop of wrap yarn above mentioned is cast oi during the drawing of said loop including the main yarn.

PAUL W. BRISTOW. HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. 

